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According to industry body VIC Active, more than 80% of fitness centres will be operating at an unsustainable loss under the metro Melbourne reopening plan.

From 9^th November 9 fitness centres in metropolitan Melbourne can accommodate a maximum of 10 patrons per space (20 max per venue) at any one time – with a maximum of one person to eight square metres, in keeping with guidelines for regional Victoria.

A recent survey of VIC Active members revealed that most owners found the restrictions impractical with many considering not opening.

VIC Active spokesperson, Tim Schleiger said it had demonstrated how fitness centres were COVIDSafe and the Victorian Government “needed to get fair dinkum about the numbers of people allowed to work out indoors.

“More than one in three owners are considering not opening at all because they will be in deep loss-making territory. These owners don’t have the capacity to carry more losses given they have essentially been shut since late March.

“Every other State and Territory in Australia recognised that fitness centres are safe if they have COVID-19 safe plans and practice established infection control measures. Victoria was the only State to keep us closed.

Schleiger added “the fitness industry has produced a COVID-19Safe reopening plan based on the proven model that was developed in New South Wales and Queensland.

“Data collected by Fitness Australia shows that from 7.31 million check-ins across 546 clubs in the first eight weeks after they reopened in NSW there were zero cases of reported community transmission.

“It is also ironic that I can go to the bottle shop, get a tattoo and have my back waxed. But I can’t easily go to my local fitness centre and work out and hopefully improve my physical and mental health.

Schleiger concludes that VIC Active is calling on the Victorian Government “to get fair dinkum. If it won’t let us operate reasonably then it’s time to provide support funding to the fitness industry as it has for events and entertainment.”

For more information on VIC Active go to www.vicactive.org  

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